Good evening FLRSD,
Before beginning this week’s message I feel it is vital to thank a number of people both within our district and in our towns who quietly help us navigate through weather challanges. These individuals communicate incessantly, at all hours of the night and early morning, regarding the opening of school after a storm such as the one we had last weekend. Greg Goodwin - FLRSD Director of Facilities, Frank Moniz - Lakeville DPW and Chuck Macomber - Freetown DPW, the entire FLRSD Maintenance/Custodial crew, led by Greg and Tristan Parry and our Chiefs of Police and Fire from both towns are all incredibly helpful. Thank you to everyone in this group who work tirelessly to help FLRSD operate smoothly and safely.
With the sudden departure of Coach Belichick this week, I was brought back to the first weeks of the 2017-18 football season. After living a lifetime in CT which divides loyalty between the Patriots and Giants (and occasionally the Jets), I grew up rooting for the Pats and in 2017 I felt excitement for now being so close to Foxboro. I had not been exposed to Boston Sports radio and its passionate and opinionated take on things. For example the Pats had lost the opener by 15 and another game a few weeks later - the radio conversations were venomous and attacked Coach Belichick on both his ability to coach and his character (even though the year prior was the famous 28-3 Super Bowl comeback). The words were ruthless despite all of the Division, Conference and Super Bowl titles and I was shocked at how quickly people jumped on the train to run him out. Flashing forward to the fact that they played in the Super Bowl, against the Eagles at the end of that same year, the people who attacked him so easily suddenly wouldn’t admit they were wrong. It was a sad and valuable reminder that somehow we were becoming a society “where someone is only as good or as useful as the last thing they did”, regardless of the totality of their life’s work or character. And still, even after his departure this week, far too many were discussing how glad they were that he was gone.
Reaching back to President Theordore Roosevelt’s famous “Man in the arena “ speech. (Although we should remember to replace “man” with “person” the premise is absolutely true.)
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat” Theodore Roosevelt 1910
This reiterates the lessons we must never forget to teach our students daily - that mistakes are ok, that a lack of success does not define us, that if we want grace when we stumble we must give grace when others stumble and most importantly that someone who tries and doesn’t succeed is far more successful than someone who is complaining. It is my hope that the story below, if you choose to read it, resonates with you.
As we formally recognize the incredible work of Dr. King tomorrow, I am driven by his belief that rather than continue to attack and be vengeful at those who make mistakes, we adopt the African proverb of Ubuntu, which means ‘humanity towards others’. The traditional South African ritual is provided below:
“In certain regions of South Africa when someone does something wrong, they
are taken to the village where they are surrounded by their villagers and the villagers each speak of all the good things the person has done.They believe each person is good, yet understand that sometimes we all make mistakes. They unite in the ritual to reconnect with their true nature.The belief is that affinity and affirmation have more power to change behavior than shame and punishment.”
If we all can approach the mistakes of others in this way without humiliating, without anger and without vengeance then the world will be a better place. After all, we each seek grace when we make mistakes (and hopefully understand we need accountability) yet we often do not give grace to others when they make mistakes, just as the story discusses.
So many of our Teachers, Staff Principals, Directors, Assistant Principals, Secretaries, Paraprofessionals, Counselors, IT and Library Media Staff, Nurses, SRO, Coaches, Advisors, Maintenance, Custodial and Food Service staff, Schedulers, School Psychologists as well as Central Office Staff, Town Officials, School Committee, First Responders and our community partners live within Ubuntu and give back with grace regardless of the mistakes of others that have been made. They teach, rather than judge and surround themselves with humility and our students are so lucky to be able to see this.
It is my hope that this week allows you to make a mistake for it means “you're doing something” as the teacher said, and that you are provided with grace and humility when you do. Along with that I trust that you provide the same to those who commit mistakes as well. And maybe we can find it in our heart to thank “the Coach Belichik’s” in our life who brought us so much joy rather than only focusing on the last unsuccessful thing someone has done.
Be well, be safe and most of all… be in peace and in ubuntu!
Alan
Alan Strauss, Superintendent
Follow us on x( twitter) and Instagram @FLRSDsuper
TOMORROW
Just a reminder that tomorrow, Monday January 15th, is a National Holiday to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King, therefore there is no school.
Freetown-Lakeville Early Childhood Center
The Freetown/Lakeville Early Childhood Center is now accepting applications for 3-year-old community role model peers for the 2024/2025 school year!
Role Model Criteria: Children must be residents of Freetown/Lakeville and turn age 3 between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024. In addition, families of community peer role model students must provide transportation to and from preschool and pay tuition quarterly. Tuition assistance forms are available to eligible families at the Special Education Office located at 98 Howland Road, Lakeville, MA 02347. For further questions, please contact the Special Education Office at (508) 923-2000 x1712.
The Integrated Preschool Program located at Freetown Elementary School is designed to meet the needs of preschool-aged children who are residents of Freetown or Lakeville and require Special Education services. Peer role models are an essential element of the integrated preschool experience, as role model students provide children who require Special Education services the opportunity to learn skills from typically developing peers through strategically designed lessons, games, and activities.
Qualities that make an excellent community peer role model include:
*able to separate from parents
*follows directions from adults/teachers
*speaks clearly and models language for others
*shares, cooperates, is helpful and able to takes turns
*independent with self-help skills (i.e. toileting)
*can play in and accommodate to new social situations
*has age-appropriate developmental skills
*can work well in groups as well as alone
*engages in classroom activities
*transitions with flexibility to new environments/activities
The Integrated Preschool Classes at Freetown Elementary run 4 days/week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:15am-11:45am (for the 3-year-old program) and 12:45pm-3:15pm (for the 4-year-old program).
The registration packet & role model questionnaire is available on the district’s website at www.freelake.org. For a hard copy, please visit Assawompset Elementary School, Freetown Elementary School, or the Superintendent's Office. Interested parents should drop off completed registration packets and questionnaires between January 22, 2024 and February 17, 2024 during the following times: 8:30-9am or 9:30-12:30pm. Afternoon appointments for drop-off can be scheduled by e-mailing Meredith Foye, Special Education Administrator, at mfoye@freelake.org. All children who apply will be scheduled for an in-person role model screening held in March of 2024. Following the in-person screening, parents will be notified in writing whether or not their child has been accepted into the program.
Buses
We understand that there have been a number of buses that have been arriving later than usual due to the illness of a number of wonderful bus drivers. Please know we are working with First Student to continue to recruit more drivers and if you know anyone who is looking for work please have them contact Kenny at Kenneth.Rezendes@firstgroup.com.
DECA
Once again, led by Mrs. Cronin and Mr. Rosa the ARHS DECA program had an incredible competition.Congratulations!
Our 157 DECA students had a successful trip to the District 8 Conference in Hyannis, where students competed in the role play portion of competition. They next attend the State Conference in Boston in March.
With 1st place rankings in their categories and moving onto States: Luca Rubini, Josephine Biddle, Graeson Riggs, Mason Macuch, Aaron Procaccini, Emma Lehane and Ava Mello.
With 2nd place rankings in their categories and moving onto States: Grace Ferrari and Emily Pavao, Austin Pelletier, and Abigail Bradley and Cecelia Levrault
With 3rd place rankings in their categories and moving onto States: Alex Keefe, Atley Alves and Reaghan Jensen, Harrison Goyette and Seth Richards, Ashna Kantamkulathy and Vidhya Santhosh, and Nolan Welch
Placing in the top 6 in their categories and moving onto States: Mia Furtado, Cameron Poirier, Kaitlyn Abreau and Megan Soares, Will Levrault, Caiden Cyr and Boston Piquette, Eugene Jung and Brynn McLaughlin, Conor Tripp, Ryan O'Connor, Evan Dupras, Fiona Boren and Scarlett Teixeira, Orianna Hernandez and Kohana Fontinha, Ethan Ring, Jake Dugdale, Emma Buckley and Amelia Menendez, Jared Freitas, Madelyn Eighme and Elise Horton, Leah Mcgee, Paxton Canessa and Henry Svirtunas.
Earning top 10 ranking in their category and receiving a medal: Blake Deneault and Corey Costa, Matthew Barboza, Emily Andersen, Lily Rogers, Addison Combs and Owin Banks, Gary Carrier and Thomas Cushing, Emma Wisniewski and Maeya Vlahopoulos, Logan Frias, Casey Radley and Gianna Sarkisian, Morgan Tremblay and Hailey Travassos, Charlotte Carvalho, Keltey Fournier and Hannah Kuriscak, Tyler Gray, Ryan Vincent, Cameron Sylvia and Joshua Snyder, Aurora Corbett and Audrey Keller, Gracen Branco and Grace Schwartz, Isabel Keane and Addison Taylor, Ava Cobis and Ruby Martin, Davis Holland and Oliver Hohos, Kenneth Wisniewski, Nora Moynihan and Marissa Santos.
SEPAC
Tuesday January 16 from 6:30-7:30.
Does your student have an IEP or 504? Do you have questions about special education? Please join SEPAC and Ms. Danielle Johansen on Tuesday January 16th at 6:30 to meet other parents/guardians and learn more!
This month we will be virtual-- join us : https://meet.google.com/kbm-hjur-jjp
Freetown Lakeville Regional School District School Links
Please click on the link(s) below for district information and easy access to your child’s school news
FLRSD: News | Freetown Lakeville Regional School District
ARHS: Apponequet Regional High School News
FLMS: Freetown Lakeville Middle School News
GRAIS: George R. Austin Intermediate School News
AES: Assawompset Elementary Schools News
FES: Freetown Elementary School News
Below please find links to important forms and information. These are located on our website but hope this may assist you in locating them quickly.